1. Cometh the hour, cometh the man
What a turnaround this has been for Alex Tuch.
With his struggles prior to the sporting world going on hiatus due to COVID-19 well documented, Tuch was very much the wildcard for the Golden Knights heading into The Bubble.
Having struggled for secondary scoring throughout the 2019-20 regular season, the Knights needed Tuch to rebound from his injury-plagued year and rediscover the formula that saw him record 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 74 games in 74 games.
Well, their prayers have been answered.
In both the exhibition game against the Arizona Coyotes and the three round-robin contests, Tuch has been on fire.
The winger has clearly benefitted from a lengthy layoff and the extra rest has done him wonders.
His speed coupled with his intimidating size makes him a potent weapon, especially on the power play, while Tuch’s big release and shot was on display for all to see against the Avs.
After getting the puck in his own zone, Tuch carried the puck in on the rush before hammering an absolute unstoppable shot beyond Philipp Grubauer for the OT winner.
It was a hell of a shot and it was also Tuch’s third goal of the postseason and the Golden Knights will need Alex Tuch at the peak of his powers for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, especially if Max Pacioretty continues to be absent.